It's Just Complicated
by Neku.GrandChase
Summary: To say that relationships stemming from childhood until the present offers a strong foundation...Kiba finds it is not so. Lot of crack and hinted pairings. Near SasuNaru and Kiba? not OC
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Naruto. Frankly, I don't want to believe in disclaimers, because it's common sense that any franchise isn't free and already has their company's name plastered on a prominent part of its façade. But since disclaimers are free, I might as well do one to satisfy a few disgruntled people (not the real owners) that are in the look out for unguarded fiction. Ownership is relative, anyway.

**Summary: **Kiba and Sasuke are best friends from long ago. When Sasuke left for another city, Kiba was left alone to fend for himself without him. Now, eleven years after, Sasuke returns to Konoha; but this time, returning with someone else. Jealousy, and unguarded affections for a friend run through Kiba's veins, but will this be enough?

**Pairings:** SasuKiba? Pairings will be revealed in due time. I don't think so. I'll be dropping hints here and there, but everything'll reveal itself in due time.

It's Just Complicated

The afternoon bell of the academy pierced the sky with its shrill banshee-like scream.

Doors exploded open, multitudes of students burst out of its halls. Chatter filled the corridors; unsynchronized steps pummeled the floors that had lain witness to the dozen generations that had come and go.

Amongst them, the loudest and most hyper of them all was Inuzuka Kiba.

He was too rowdy for his own good; his voice was discernible amongst the masses. On hot afternoons like these, the spiky-haired boy would be the only one running and skipping down the hallways, as if his system was jam-packed with unspent sugar and adrenaline.

Students, at this time and temperature, would have preferred to just slouch off walking to their lockers, snapping at anyone showing an itty-bitty sign of energy. But then again, if it were _he,_ they would just roll their eyes and mutter incoherent questions as to the mystery of the boy's vigor.

But the answer was there. It was because HE was Kiba.

Just because he was Kiba. No questions asked.

The brunet was quite popular in school, though it couldn't be because he was a heartthrob. Kiba wasn't only known for his infinite energy, but he was also known for his obliviousness and naiveté.

And the fact that he was one of the few people allowed to have marks on his face only served to heighten his boyish charms and contrast his wild exterior.

"Is it _really permanent_?"

Kiba grimaced as he felt a lithe finger poking his cheek. More so at his face marks.

"YES! Goddamnit! Yes it is! For the few years I have to answer that question! Shino, you are such an ass." Kiba swatted the boy's hand, earning a snort of amusement from the taller boy. People passing by only shook their heads at the noise Kiba was making…or his random cussing.

Hinata, another friend, only made a face at Kiba. "Lighten up, Kiba-kun. You know Shino is only trying to irritate you." She laughed softly, finding their childish antics funny.

Kiba only glanced at her, before sighing rather audibly. "Haah…and it never fails to amaze me why I'm the only person he feels being an ass to." He growled once more when he felt the other boy's cool finger on his cheek.

"Oh, you know he treats you as his closest friend. He's only able to open up to you and to nobody else. If you talk to him and your name isn't Kiba-kun, it'd be just the same as talking to a wall." Hinata waggled a terse finger at him.

"Reeeallly, Shino-kun? You really think I'm special?" He whined with languid effect. Shino nodded, though his face was masked with indelibility..

"Then GODDAMNIT, treat me like one! " Kiba lumped his fist and delivered a knuckle straight on the boy's head. Shino ducked in pain, tendering his head, though no groan was heard from him.

-

"_Oi! Oi! Sasuke-kun!" _

_Said boy turned around, a smile suddenly lighting up his face._

"_Kiba-chan!" He smiled, waving enthusiastically at the boy nearing him. _

_The boy ran towards him, and upon reaching, bent over and panted as if on cue. Little Kiba's knees buckled in weakness at once, gasping as he did not expect it. _

_He was going to fall face-flat on to the ground._

_Surprisingly, the ground felt softer the last time he planted his face upon Mother Earth. And it did not smell of familiar cologne either._

"_Kiba-chan, you ass…" _

_The boy looked up from Sasuke's lap, his cheeks tinted with red. Sasuke managed to stop his fall by using his legs as a cushion for Kiba's head._

"_Can't you even take care of yourself without me?" Sasuke chided, standing up to help Kiba, who felt a little wobbly._

"_S…Sasuke…uwa…I can't feel my legs! Help me…" Kiba whimpered, slapping his legs. Waves of numbing pain shot instantaneously, making him buckle once more._

_Sasuke hushed him, supporting Kiba to stand up and limp towards the waiting shed. Kiba was already crying, mumbling things like doctors cutting his legs off and feeding it to the sharks, and how he will spend his life in crutches or a wheelchair._

_Somehow, Kiba managed to stop crying when he felt a new sensation on his legs. Partly opening his eyes, he saw where it was coming from._

_Sasuke gently smiled at him, his hands busy massaging his turning-blue legs._

"_Kiba-chan is going to be alright. Kiba-chan is gonna be just fine…"_

_Kiba managed to smile at those words, as if anything Sasuke would say is true. He kept quiet for the whole while, somehow silenced by the sensation of pain disappearing._

"_Kiba likes this?" Sasuke offered a smile at the boy. Kiba nodded in accordance._

"_Kiba-chan should remember never to run with something heavy on his back again, okay? Kiba's legs are still weak, Kiba might hurt himself if he's not careful." Sasuke patted the hem of Kiba's shorts before he let the boy sit for himself._

_That thought of concern brought Kiba's fangy grin back. Sasuke only speaks like that when he knows Kiba is hurt._

_It wasn't evening yet, so Sasuke stood up, offering his hand to the boy._

"_Kiba wants some ice cream, na?"_

_The boy grinned, exposing his small fangs. _

"_Un!" He nodded appreciatingly. "Sasuke-kun would like some ice cream too?"_

_The boy chuckled. "Kiba-chan forgets, Sasuke-kun doesn't like sweets very much." _

_Kiba frowned._

"_Kiba doesn't understand why Sasuke don't like ice cream…" He pouted childishly._

_Sasuke only smiled and tugged him towards an ice cream cart. The man gave each of them a vanilla cone, complete with its milky swirls and sharp peaks, chocolate syrup and rainbow sprinkles on the side._

_Kiba immediately munched in, halfway through his ice cream. He only noticed Sasuke smiling at him, his one hand still holding his untouched treat._

"_Kiba thought Sas-kun don't like ice cream?" He licked at his treat mores slowly this time. Sasuke still held on to his ice cream, his attention on Kiba._

"_Kiba-chan looked sad Sasuke doesn't like ice cream." He spoke softly, experimentally licking the frozen treat before making a face. "Sasuke wants Kiba-chan to be happy."_

_Kiba frowned even more. "But Kiba is not happy if Sas'ke is not happy too."_

_Sasuke motioned for them to walk, Kiba still licking at his ice cream, but at the same time, giving his attention to Sasuke._

"_Does Kiba-chan want to say how Sasuke and Kiba-chan can be happy at the same time?" He asked in a brotherly tone._

"_What if Sasuke gives Kiba his ice cream? Kiba likes ice cream and Sasuke doesn't; Sasuke will be happy and Kiba will also be happy!" The boy grinned despite himself, now starting to nibble on his cone._

"_But Sasuke won't be happy." He explained. "Sasuke gave an equal share to Kiba-chan, and Kiba-chan would be selfish if he also takes Sasuke's share."_

_The boy beside him muttered. "Kiba is not selfish. Kiba sorry."_

_Sasuke smiled at that, and ruffled the younger boy's hair. Kiba grinned once more, admitting that he did like Sasuke doing that to his hair._

"_Someday, Kiba-chan…Sasuke will ask that question one more time…"_

-

Kiba only sighed at his ice cream, mechanically licking it. His pink tongue darted at the white stuff, a red tint gracing his cheek once more.

_Memories are a hard thing to let go…_

"Kiba-kun…" Hinata turned around, her ice-lolly still on her mouth, "…I really just wonder why is it every time you eat ice cream (_she wanted to add the term 'vanilla')_, you always turn red…do you remember something special?"

"Uh…" Kiba stared stupidly at both Hinata and Shino. Even the stoic-boy-to-others-but-not-to-Kiba managed to raise his eyebrows past his weird sunglasses. His gaze lingered back to his ice cream; syrup and milk dripping down as it dangerously melted.

_Stupidity: 1 Smarts: 0_

He sighed deeply this time, lips in a straight line. Hinata raised an eyebrow, and Shino rolled his eyes behind said sunglasses. Kiba sighing meant that he didn't want to talk about it, with an implied meaning of 'some other time'.

"We understand." Hinata returned to her treat at hand, Shino just shook his head. Over small talks like these, the energetic boy suddenly degenerated into a sloth. He always reduced himself to frowning; his sights dazed and unfocused, his mind and spirit elsewhere.

Ten minutes of walking led them to Konoha downtown; Kiba was almost surprised when they'd arrived. He broke into a smile when he heard a familiar, stampeding sound.

"Hey! Puppy boy Kiba!" A rash, female voice emanated from someone running towards them at top speed. A slightly-visible vein twitched above Kiba's eye before he returned the greeting.

"Hey yourself! Potty-mouth-princess Tayuya!" Kiba stamped out. And before anybody registered the awkward way the two greeted each other, both were tumbling on the ground in a large mass of dust, squabbling over their routine scuffle.

"So…" Tayuya tugged at Kiba's ear." Ready to be pummeled into the ground…AGAIN?"

Kiba ferally grinned. "I smell a Para Para challenge! Is that a Para Para challenge?"

Tayuya smirked. Kiba smirked back.

Both ran towards the nearest mall, eyes furrowed in competitive spirit. Shino and Hinata could only do nothing but follow inside.

-

"_So, Kiba-chan wants to try this game?"_

_Sasuke perused a strange looking game machine that was a bit wider than conventional arcade game machine standards. It was emitting too much loud music, which was starting to drum in on his ears. Kiba merely nodded and jumped in place._

_Sighing and shaking his head in mock annoyance, Sasuke dropped a few coins on the intended slot and waited for the machine to tell them what to do. Sasuke brought the boy before the machine, who began selecting a song immediately._

"_Kiba is ready, yes?" Sasuke smiled at him_

_Kiba smiled back, enthusiastically showing his fangs._

"_Nu-uh!"_

_Sasuke stopped smiling and raised his eyebrows._

"_Kiba-chan doesn't know how to play?"_

"_Nooooope!"_

_If Sasuke had less self-control, his jaw would have dropped straight onto the floor._

"_You're telling me that you want this game, yet you don't know how to play it?" Sasuke's mouth was set in a grim line._

"_Yep!" Kiba grinned a toothy grin. Sasuke merely noted the small canines that were slowly growing in on the gaps._

_Sasuke furrowed his eyebrows. Kiba was way to hard to understand sometimes…_

The screen shifted to one that flooded the whole area in a plethora of colors. A 3d figure appeared and arrows suddenly appeared in the screen. Sasuke had the idea of imitating what the 3d guy was doing, and he was set in concentration in trying to beat the game.

_After a few minutes, and a lot of swearing not normal for a seven year old kid, Sasuke managed to get a grade A in the game's scoring system. Kiba was enjoying himself immensely at the way Sasuke fumbled with his arms just to reach a lone arrow or almost tripping on his feet when he got his legs intertwined._

"_Hey…" Sasuke panted, managing to get his earlier composure back. He hadn't meant those swear words he cussed a while ago. " That was…kind of fun…"_

_Kiba's smile was replaced with a frown, and he tugged his lips to a pout._

"_Oi, oi! I wanna try playing too!" He tugged at Sasuke's shirt. _

"_Kiba can't play this game yet." Sasuke half-heartedly explained. " Kiba is still to short to reach the screen." He said, pointing to the scanner attached below._

"_But…it's not fair! Kiba was the one who told Sasuke this game!"_

_A teenager approached the two._

"_And Kiba is quite right, ne Sasuke-kun?" Itachi appeared behind the startled Kiba._

"_But this is fun, aniki! I still want to play and become better!" Sasuke dropped his mature façade in front of his older brother._

_Itachi rolled his eyes and poked his brother on his forehead ("Aniki!"). The older Uchiha selected a hard beat on the machine. Both boys only gaped in awe as Itachi gyrated to the techno-beat, arms and hips swaying. A few onlookers and pedestrians stopped to observe._

"_Oh wow…Grade S." Sasuke finally snapped out of his reverie as Itachi stepped away from the machine, only sweating slightly. Kiba only managed to nod, his mind still registering the somewhat god-like moves he had seen from Itachi-san.._

"_Sasuke forgets that I'm good at Para Para dancing." Itachi grinned, and walked away. Sasuke stared, wide-eye, at his brother's retreating form._

"_That's it! I'm gonna be as good as aniki!" Sasuke dramatically clenched his little knuckles. "Probably even better!"_

_Kiba nodded in agreement, liking that soothing feeling that emanated from the older boy when he grew excited._

"_Kiba believes Sasuke-kun can be better than Itachi-san!" Kiba threw in his comment, somehow infected by Sasuke's positive air. _

_Sasuke smiled at him, and ruffled Kiba's hair._

"_Kiba-chan will help Sasuke, na?"_

-

A/N: Revision 2. Surprise, surprise! I finally touched this fic after two years! I'm much more satisfied with this piece now.

On to Chapter 2!


	2. Chapter 2

Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto…still not a good excuse to celebrate though…

**Disclaimer: **I don't own Naruto…still not a good excuse to celebrate though…

**Summary: **Kiba and Sasuke are best friends from long ago. When Sasuke left for another city, Kiba was left alone to fend for himself without him. Now, eleven years after, Sasuke returns to Konoha; but this time, returning with someone else. Jealousy, and unguarded affections for a friend run through Kiba's veins, but will this be enough?

**Pairings:** SasuKiba? Pairings will be revealed in due time.

Chapter 2

It was almost evening when Kiba had left the mall. Tayuya was still swearing from where he left her, a sight Kiba enjoyed every time. He pitied her group though, who had to placate her after losing.

"Next time, dog boy! Your luck is bound to run out sooner or later!" Tayuya flailed her arms in the air, making a scandal in front of the Para Para Machine.

Kiba grinned despite himself. It was a nice way to relieve the stress schoolwork and other activities gave him. If only Tayuya knew what a great workout she was…

"Peh." Kiba stuck his tongue out and knocked himself on the head with his right fist.

_Stupidity: 2 Smarts: 0_

Kiba reddened at the implication of the thought. He gingerly scratched his temple as he willed those thoughts away. Thinking about those kinds of stuff didn't suit his sexual orientation.

His ancestors are probably crying right now knowing where Kiba was pointing his orientation.

Kiba was straight as an arrow, yes. There was no denying that.

But Kiba was pointing his arrow towards his own group, and not at the opposite side of the field.

Kiba was attracted to boys his same age? Even he did not expect such fate to befall him. It was a really startling discovery when he found out a year back…

-

"_The principal has just commenced the presentation of various school organizations and its members. May we call on the senior members of each club!"_

"_Freshmen, pay attention to each presentation!"_

_Screams and cheers filled the gym as the older members of various clubs flocked in._

"_Look, Kiba! That's Mikoto-san, senior of the Volleyball club? She's sooooo purdy!"_

"_Oh, oh! And there's Shirahime-san, the president of the Drama club! She's so beautiful…"_

_Kiba mechanically nodded at his classmate's ogled statements. He was a bit unnerved why he wasn't participating effectively with his classmates in pointing out which woman was bustier or made a good potential wife. _

_What horrified him was that he found his eyes drifting onto the other side of the area, where the male clubs were showcasing their stuff._

_His ears picked up on what a few girls were shouting…_

"_Kyah! Fay-san is so amazing! Just look at that smile!"_

"_The swimming team is there! Oh! Look at Kurogane-kun's tight as…"_

"_Shh! Don't scare them away! They might hear you, Chiharu!"_

_Kiba immediately killed the urge to join the girls in their screaming, his mouth almost to the extent of exploding with screams discreetly murmured. He was horrified. Soooo horrified at what he was thinking and what he almost planned to do._

"_Kiba, you are not gay. Not gay. Not gay. Not gay. Not gay. Not gay. Not – oh shoot!"_

_He edged away from the testosterone-driven conversations his male friends were engaging into and snuck behind the girl's group, not wanting to join, but only hear and gather information. A particular pretty boy in swimming trunks destroyed his mantra of not-gay, not-gay. _

_He needed to have more training when it came to self-control. He probably should ask his sister about that sooner or later._

_Ah, but who cares with the now? Live and enjoy, right? RIGHT!?_

_Kiba's eyes shimmered as he appreciated the view from his seat and the indiscreet commentaries his ears snatched from the girls. (I heard it's 6-inches long!)_

_He whimpered a bit as he realized how pathetic he must look like. It was very unlike him not to steal the center stage of attention within his group. Now, he was hiding behind a bunch of giggly girls, ogling men in Speedos and wondering how the hell they had six-inch phalli._

"_Hey…boy with the triangular marking on his face…"_

_Kiba froze, realizing the speaker was referring HIM. Turning around, he grinned nervously at a guy he hadn't taken notice, but was sure he was in his class._

"_You are…Inuzuka Kiba-kun, right?"_

_Kiba nodded, unsure of what to make of the boy who knew his name._

"_Shino…Aburame. That's my name…"_

_He was a pale-skinned boy who had sunglasses on, Kiba assumed to be school-standard. He was plenty of inches taller than Kiba, and his lips were hidden in the high collar of his jacket._

_Said boy proffered his hands to Kiba. _

"_Assuming you know my name…I guess that leaves me nothing to say…" Kiba glanced at the other boy's impassive face; he noted the strength behind Shino's hand. _

_Shino shook his head in denial and Kiba assumed a smile behind the collar._

"_Inuzuka…can I assume that it is the same Inuzuka that owns the vet just outside the city?"_

_Kiba smiled at once, liking the direction of the conversation. He quickly released his hand and folded both at the back of his head._

"_Un!" He grinned. "My sister and mother run the place, it's quite a large operation but they miraculously pull it through! One day, I'm going to take up pet medicine and help them and stuff! But right now, I'm contented taking care of the animals inside."_

_Shino nodded in agreement, placing his hands back into the folds of his jacket._

"_I guess…I'll be seeing you some time then."_

_Kiba grinned, not noticing his eyes glazing over. Pale skin…dark hair…it reminded him of someone that left too long ago…_

_Shino turned around, and gave Kiba one last glance._

"_Good luck catching some ass in there…"_

_He walked away, leaving a severely reddened and sputtering Kiba._

_-_

Shino had never made any comment with his sexuality thereon. If not, he was even goading him into it. Kiba wasn't sure if Shino was hitting on him (even he admits he's boyishly cute enough to attract a few guys). He was constantly teasing him and making irritating remarks (_Kiba, you dropped your tampon!)_ but to think of Shino as something as a boy-chaser was too far-fetched for Kiba.

"Aburame Shino? Boy chaser? Yeah right…" Kiba puffed his bangs up. "…and I wear undies on my head."

Not faraway, Chouji Akimichi sneezed.

"Shino is just too…I dunno, tactless? He's so uptight about things most of the time, plus he's too unpredictable. I hate unpredictable people…so hard to read their thoughts and actions." Kiba mused over, talking to himself more than to anyone. The road towards home was still a bit far.

"But he's nice…and he was the only person who took mention of me long ago…even though in a not-nice way." Kiba pondered through.

"I'm not too general in rating people, but if I would with Shino…he'd make someone happy with his loyalty and kindness…or miserable with his nods and grunt as his only responses…"

Kiba frowned. "Which brings me straight to square one…Shino is off-limits for me unless I value our…"

…_our…_

…_friendship?_

…_camaraderie?_

…_relationship?_

The boy hadn't noticed he was in front of their house until he heard the familiar yips and yowls in the front yard. Kiba shook his head, and gazed at the stars that slowly peeked out from the moonless sky.

"Damn hormones…making me fuss over stupid thoughts…"

His eyes gazed over to the bleak mansion at the corner with a logo of a fan in its gates.

He's not coming back…

Sighing once more, he slouched and opened the gate to his house.

He's not coming back anymore…

-

"I'm home!"

"Kiba! There you are!"

The boy in mention looked up from taking off his shoes to the grinning form of his mother. Mother + grin bad for Kiba.

"I'm sorry. Kiba will be unable to buy tampons for you and your daughter. Please reconnect the line after like, never." He stuck his tongue out.

Tsume Inuzuka merely shook her head and flicked his son's nose. "Silly, boy!"

Kiba creased his eyebrows, rubbing at the sore area. "I'm depressed now. Just go away…"

"That's no way to speak to your mother!"

"That's no way to act before your son either!"

She merely dropped her wooden spoon on Kiba's head, shaking her head as she returned towards the kitchen. Kiba caught on her mumbling about adolescents and their hormones. Tsume caught on Kiba's irritated growls on how spoons are meant for cooking and not for bopping misunderstood sons on their heads with.

"Oi, Kiba-ken…"

Kiba rolled his eyes at the pet name only his sister was using.

"What, sis? Can't you see your brother is dying because of teenage problems?" He mock-moaned, making strangled noises and stabbing himself with a hypothetical knife in a sarcastic manner.

"Well, you're moody. And to think I thought when you'd hear…never mind…" His sister trailed off.

"Hear what?" Kiba's ears visibly twitched.

"Eh? Didn't mother tell you?"

"Which ones? About both of your tampons?" Kiba gave her the ring finger, a degree lower than using his middle finger. "Or are you both switching to panty liners this time?"

"Oh, what a laugh! She didn't tell you! You'd have been pretty excited…" Hana made mocking laugh sounds, not minding the earlier comment.

"Tell me what?" Kiba turned around towards his mom. Tsume merely gave her the index finger. Hana had sped off and locked herself in her room, letting Kiba eat dust in her wake.

"Agh! What is wrong with people today!" Kiba yelled in frustration, going to his room and slamming his front door. The wall resounded with the impact of the slam.

-

"Oh, hey…are you hurt?"

_Kiba nervously shook the shivering pile before him. He had tried waking the girl he just had accidentally hit with the volleyball._

_Damn him and his spirit of selfish competition…_

_The girl had begun crying._

"_Oh! Hey, wait…uh, stop! Uh…please don't!" Kiba was a nervous wreck, as onlookers started to glare at him with venom. Kiba wasn't a good lady's man._

_The girl sobbed even harder. Kiba was on the verge of fainting._

_Gods…this was one of the reasons he hated women…_

_Kiba felt a light shove on his shoulder, as he saw the calm face of Shino. The boy merely shook his head, motioned for him to step aside, and took a handkerchief from his pocket. He merely handed it to the girl who profusely thanked him and started dabbing it at her nose._

_Standing up, with hanky on her nose, the girl stood up and faced Kiba. Said boy felt his blood drain at the frightening demeanor she exhibited._

_Or was that just disappointment?_

"_Kiba-kun!" Hinata stomped her foot on the floor. Kiba winced as if he was the receiver of said stomp._

"_I told you to give me a hanky, Kiba-kun! My nose is bleeding, people are looking at me, and I was so humiliated!" Hinata pouted behind the piece of cloth covering her mouth. _

_Shino came closer. "Haven't you heard, Kiba?"_

"_WHAT? She said that? I couldn't understand a thing! All I could here was sputtering and whining…and I dunno…" Kiba shook off his stupor. He tried explaining, albeit mortified._

_Shino came closer to Hinata._

"_Kiba and his problem with girls…please understand…"_

_Hinata raised an eyebrow as she folded the hanky other ways; the blood had begun soaking on the used side._

_Shino began whispering in Hinata's ear, as Kiba remained rooted on the floor, blushing severely._

"_Humiliating…so humiliating…" Kiba replayed the same thoughts over and over again. He hadn't noticed what Shino was telling Hinata._

_A few minutes later, Hinata nodded, Shino nodding back. Kiba was still lost in his little world, his gaze faraway. _

"_Kiba…" A light tap on the shoulder._

_Huh?_

"_It's okay…if you want, I can be your friend. Just come by my room down the hall if you want to talk about anything okay?" Hinata gave her a slight smile. She addressed Shino about his hanky being returned at a later date and went on her way._

_Kiba tilted his head in wonder at what Hinata said._

"_I told her you have lack of people skills. All you ever talked to in your whole life were dogs and birds…" Shino placidly explained in the same monotonous tone._

_Kiba fisted Shino's uniform, bringing his face closer to Shino's. His canines glinted in anger._

"_You know the hell that's not true…" He gritted in abandonment. _

_Shino merely glanced in amusement and brought his lips close to the boy's ear._

"_Or should I tell her that you have no skills with girls because you like –"_

_Kiba immediately dropped his hold on Shino, his face in a cross of horrified and surprise. _

_How could he have known?_

_Was he that obvious?_

_Kiba didn't know what to do, whether to take his anger out on the taller boy, or simply exchange dirty words and threaten him to shut up._

_He ran away that day, far from Shino…and far from the rest of them. School seemed to be a bad place for him that day._

"_Don't worry Kiba…your secret is safe…" Shino observed the boy's retreating back, his eyes in jovial slits, his lips in an innocent grin._

"_At least until…"_

-

"…and that's why I called ya, Hinata-chan. My family decided to be a bitch at me and gang up on my curiosity. I know they know something! And them knowing that I know that they know something I don't know…they'd never tell me!"

"Huh? Yeah…yeah…I guess so…"

Kiba raised an eyebrow. "Hey…you okay there? Are you busy or what?"

He heard a slap on the forehead on the other line. "Ah, forgive me Kiba! It's just…people here are busy! Dad, mom, uncle and even big brother are rounding up all of our family members from the different houses in the city. All fifty-two families are here in our Main House!"

"Wow…what's the occasion?" Kiba picked something on his cheek. _An eyelash?_

"A cousin of our family is returning here in this city. Our family wants to hold a special welcome-back party or something of that sort…"

Kiba managed a small grin. _I wish my family would stop being a bitch at me…_

"Cousin of your family?"

Hinata's voice was slowly weakening. "Their meetings gonna start in five minutes. Yes, a cousin of our family. It's like a 'brother-clan' or something. Families that are indirectly related by blood centuries ago. Us Hyuugas still respect the genealogy that is, so that is why it is a big deal for us."

"No shit, good thing you still remember that stuff. All I know of our family was that we're direct descendants of the warriors of Inuzuka. Hey, look at me; I'm a dog warrior! Fear me lest I bite you!" Kiba made funny noises to go along with it,

"That's not nice, Kiba. You should be proud of your past. The Inuzuka was the most powerful clan in the Chiba prefecture on the time of Edo. They were feared and respected, and it's a shame their descendant is making fun of them right now."

Kiba pouted. "I wouldn't go insulting them if they kept their traditions among themselves…it's their fault I have to wear these stupid markings on my face…"

Hinata sighed. "Oh, now Kiba, we have gone through that many times. They look cool on you, ok? Nobody wears them better than you do. Or would you like a 200-pound prerequisite in your family like the Akimichi have? Or maybe having your nails painted purple? Then people might think you're ga-"

Kiba sputtered. "Okay, I get it. Let's not get too much into the topic. I assume you'll be busy now, since your 5 minutes of freedom have been spent listening to me bitch about my horrid life and you retorting that it isn't so."

"Hey, wouldn't want you to commit suicide now would we?" Hinata laced a tone that hinted she shrugged.

"Guess so. Ah, thanks for talking to me, Hinata-chan. You work better than any shrink does!" Kiba smiled slightly.

"Anytime, Kiba-kun. So, I guess-"

Kiba heard Hinata and his father talking over the phone, he hoped the girl wasn't being scolded for overusing her phone privileges. Hinata's father can be caring and mean sometimes…Kiba liked Hinata's uncle better.

"Oh Kiba! Great news! Father asked if you can come tomorrow for the welcome party! And I know you can't say no!" Hinata gushed.

Kiba sweatdropped. "We appreciate the offer but isn't your house on the other side of town…"

"OF course, dear! We'll come tomorrow! Kiba will be in his best!

"Mother! You were listening the whole time!" Kiba blushed.

"Oh, good evening Mrs. Inuzuka!"

"Hey, Hinata-chan. Is Kiba-ken being mean to you?"

"Hana! Get off the phone, sis!"

"Hi, Hana-chan! We'll talk at the party tomorrow, is that okay?"

"Hinata…wait, is this the thing that you know that I don't know, Mom!"

"Kiba, after this call, come down here and try your new robes. Your sister and I have our kimonos as well. Ah, Hinata. Please thank your father for inviting us."

"No problem, Mrs. Inuzuka. Kiba? You didn't know where the party was to take place?"

"Obviously not. As I told you, my family was being a bitch earlier…"

"Kiba! That's coming off your allowance tomorrow!"

"I ain't retracting my statement, Mom! You're the one to say to never lie!"

"…he's got you good Mom…"

"Hana! Shouldn't you side with your mother? That kimono was expensive you know…"

"Yeah, sis! I didn't ask for your help!"

"Puppy, shut up…and Mom, it was the truth…just don't wanna act like a hypocrite…"

"Err…Kiba? Are you still there?"

"Ah, still here. Where was the place again?"

"It's very near your place. That mansion just around your corner? That's the property of our brother-clan, the Uchihas-"

Hinata was stumped when he heard the receiver placed down in an instant.

"Hello? Kiba?"

"Forget it Hinata. Kiba placed it down already."

"Kiba is making quite a lot of noise in his room right now…ah, I should fixing dinner." Another receiver was heard placed down.

"Is Kiba okay, Hana-chan?"

"Yeah…just a sec - HEY ASSHOLE! KEEP IT DOWN THERE WILL YA! OTHER PEOPLE ALSO LIVE HERE YA' JERK! – okay, that felt better."

"Ah, Father is calling. I better go, Hana-chan."

"See you tomorrow, Hinata".

-

Sasuke…Sasuke is coming back!

_After a few years, he's back!_

_I don't think I'd be able to sleep this night…_

_-_

I hope this was good enough...-cracks a smile-


End file.
